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Commentary on Ezekiel 4 verses 9–17
The best exposition of this part of Ezekiel's prediction of Jerusalem's desolation is Jeremiah's lamentation of it, Lam 4:3, Lam 4:4, etc., and Lam 4:10, where he pathetically describes the terrible famine that was in Jerusalem during the siege and the sad effects of it.
I. The prophet here, to affect the people with the foresight of it, must confine himself for 390 days to coarse fare and short commons, and that ill-dressed, for they should want both food and fuel.
1.His meat, for the quality of it, was to be of the worst bread, made of but little wheat and barley, and the rest of beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, such as we feed horses or fatted hogs with, and this mixed, as mill corn, or as that in the beggar's bag, that has a dish full of one sort of corn at one house and of another at another house; of such corn as this must the prophet's bread be made while he underwent the fatigue of lying on his side, and needed something better to support him, Eze 4:9. Note, It is our wisdom not to be too fond of dainties and pleasant bread, because we know not what hard meat we may be tied to, nay, and may be glad of, before we die. The meanest sort of food is better than we deserve, and therefore must not be despised nor wasted, nor must those that use it be looked upon with disdain, because we know not what may be our own lot.
2.For the quantity of it, it was to be of the least that a man could be kept alive with, to signify that the besieged should be reduced to short allowance and should hold out till all the bread in the city was spent, Jer 37:21. The prophet must eat but twenty shekels' weight of bread a day (Eze 4:10), that was about ten ounces; and he must drink but the sixth part of a hin of water, that was half a pint, about eight ounces, Eze 4:11. The stint of the Lessian diet is fourteen ounces of meat and sixteen of drink. The prophet in Babylon had bread enough and to spare, and was by the river side, where there was plenty of water; and yet, that he might confirm his own prediction and be a sign to the children of Israel, God obliges him to live thus sparingly, and he submits to it. Note, God's servants must learn to endure hardness, and to deny themselves the use of lawful delights, when they may thereby serve the glory of God, evidence the sincerity of their faith, and express their sympathy with their brethren in affliction. The body must be kept under and brought into subjection. Nature is content with a little, grace with less, but lust with nothing. It is good to stint ourselves of choice, that we may the better bear it if ever we should come to be stinted by necessity. And in times of public distress and calamity it ill becomes us to make much of ourselves, as those that drank wine in bowls and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, Amo 6:4-6.
3.For the dressing of it, he must bake it with a man's dung (Eze 4:12); that must be dried, and serve for fuel to heat his oven with. The thought of it would almost turn one's stomach; yet the coarse bread, thus baked, he must eat as barley-cakes, as freely as if it were the same bread he had been used to. This nauseous piece of cookery he must exercise publicly in their sight, that they might be the more affected with the calamity approaching, which was signified by it, that in the extremity of the famine they should not only have nothing that was dainty, but nothing that was cleanly, about them; they must take up with what they could get. To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. This circumstance of the sign, the baking of his bread with man's dung, the prophet with submission humbly desired might be dispensed with (Eze 4:14); it seemed to have in it something of a ceremonial pollution, for there was a law that man's dung should be covered with earth, that God might see no unclean thing in their camp, Deu 23:13, Deu 23:14. And must he go and gather a thing so offensive, and use it in the dressing of his meat in the sight of the people? "Ah! Lord God," says he, "behold, my soul has not been polluted, and I am afraid lest by this it be polluted." Note, The pollution of the soul by sin is what good people dread more than any thing; and yet sometimes tender consciences fear it without cause, and perplex themselves with scruples about lawful things, as the prophet here, who had not yet learned that it is not that which goes into the mouth that defiles the man, Mat 15:11. But observe he does not plead, "Lord, from my youth I have been brought up delicately and have never been used to any thing but what was clean and nice" (and there were those who were so brought up, who in the siege of Jerusalem did embrace dunghills, Lam 4:5), but that he had been brought up conscientiously, and had never eaten any thing that was forbidden by the law, that died of itself or was torn in pieces; and therefore, "Lord, do not put this upon me now." Thus Peter pleaded (Act 10:14), Lord, I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. Note, it will be comfortable to us, when we are reduced to hardships, if our hearts can witness for us that we have always been careful to abstain from sin, even from little sins, and the appearances of evil. Whatever God commands us, we may be sure, is good; but, if we be put upon any thing that we apprehend to be evil, we should argue against it, from this consideration, that hitherto we have preserved our purity - and shall we lose it now? Now, because Ezekiel with a manifest tenderness of conscience made this scruple, God dispensed with him in this matter. Note, Those who have power in their hands should not be rigorous in pressing their commands upon those that are dissatisfied concerning them, yea, though their dissatisfactions be groundless or arising from education and long usage, but should recede from them rather than grieve or offend the weak, or put a stumbling-block before them, in conformity to the example of God's condescension to Ezekiel, though we are sure his authority is incontestable and all his commands are wise and good. God allowed Ezekiel to use cow's dung instead of man's dung, Eze 4:15. This is a tacit reflection upon man, as intimating that he being polluted with sin his filthiness is more nauseous and odious than that of any other creature. How much more abominable and filthy is man! Job 15:16.
II. Now this sign is particularly explained here; it signified,
1.That those who remained in Jerusalem should be brought to extreme misery for want of necessary food. All supplies being cut off by the besiegers, the city would soon find the want of the country, for the king himself is served of the field; and thus the staff of bread would be broken in Jerusalem, Eze 4:16. God would not only take away from the bread its power to nourish, so that they should eat and not be satisfied (Lev 26:26), but would take away the bread itself (Isa 3:1), so that what little remained should be eaten by weight, so much a day, so much a head, that they might have an equal share and might make it last as long as possible. But to what purpose, when they could not make it last always, and the besieged must be tired out before the besiegers? They should eat and drink with care, to make it go as far as might be, and with astonishment, when they saw it almost spent and knew not which way to look for a recruit. They should be astonished one with another; whereas it is ordinarily some alleviation of a calamity to have others share with us in it (Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris), and some ease to the spirit to complain of the burden, it should be an aggravation of the misery that it was universal, and their complaining to one another should but make them all the more uneasy and increase the astonishment. And the event shall be as bad as their fears; they cannot make it worse than it is, for they shall consume away for their iniquity; multitudes of them shall die of famine, a lingering death, worse than that by the sword (Lam 4:9); they shall dies so as to feel themselves die. And it is sin that brings all this misery upon them: They shall consume away in their iniquity (so it may be read); they shall continue hardened and impenitent, and shall die in their sins, which is more miserable than to die on a dunghill. Now, (1.) Let us see here what woeful work sin makes with a people, and acknowledge the righteousness of God herein. Time was when Jerusalem was filled with the finest of the wheat (Psa 147:14); but now it would be glad of the coarsest, and cannot have it. Fulness of bread, as it was one of Jerusalem's mercies, so it had become one of her sins, Eze 16:49. The plenty was abused to luxury and excess, which were therefore thus justly punished with famine. It is a righteous thing with God to deprive us of those enjoyments which we have made the food and fuel of our lusts. (2.) Let us see what reason we have to bless God for plenty, not only for the fruits of the earth, but for the freedom of commerce, that the husbandman can have money for his bread and the tradesman bread for his money, that there is abundance not only in the field, but in the market, that those who live in cities and great towns, though they sow not, neither do they reap, are yet fed from day to day with food convenient.
2.It signified that those who were carried into captivity should be forced to eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles (Eze 4:13), to eat meat made up by Gentile hands otherwise than according to the law of the Jewish church, which they were always taught to call defiled, and which they would have as great an aversion to as a man would have to bread prepared with dung, that is (as perhaps it may be understood) kneaded and moulded with dung. Daniel and his fellows confined themselves to pulse and water, rather than they would eat the portion of the king's meat assigned them, because they apprehended it would defile them, Dan 1:8. Or they should be forced to eat putrid meat, such as their oppressors would allow them in their slavery, and such as formerly they would have scorned to touch. Because they served not God with cheerfulness in the abundance of all things, God will make them serve their enemies in the want of all things.
(Verse 16, 17.) And he said to me: Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they shall drink water by measure and with dismay; so that when bread and water are lacking, each one shall stumble to his brother, and they shall waste away in their iniquities. The Hebrew word Mate () is interpreted as staff in the first edition of Aquila, and as firmament in the second edition and by Symmachus and Theodotion. But what he had shown through his work, he also demonstrates through his speech, and the silence of both the left and right sides, and the ash bread mixed with the six varieties of spices, signifying the evils of the world, he points to the fact that a famine of food and an incredible shortage of water will occur in Jerusalem, so that everyone will fall to their brother, hoping for help from another, which they do not foresee in themselves. For it is the nature of humans, when pressed by evils and the weight of distress, to have more confidence in what is close at hand than in themselves: and they waste away in their iniquities, while suffering everything because of their iniquities. And I fear lest this breaking of bread may also be found in our Jerusalem, in which the vision of peace is seen, which the Lord crushes when he is angry, and judges us unworthy of his bread. And if only we could at least merit to receive him with weight and solicitude, and wet the dry tongue with excessive dryness, like the last finger of Lazarus (Luke 16). But with the Church lacking in bread and water, a man will fall against his brother, and everywhere there is discord, as our Christ's tunic is torn apart by those who even the soldiers in the Savior's passion dared not tear apart (John 19); and as we waste away in our iniquities, for we do not possess the justice of God. It is written in Jeremiah that the little ones, that is, the common people of the Church, sought bread, and there was no one to break it for them (Lamentations 4:4). But Paul, truly a man of the Church, knew that Christ had broken the legal bread and given it to the disciples to distribute. He confidently speaks: The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ? (I Cor. X, 16.) And those who are weak and in need of the milk of infancy cannot eat the staff or the strength of bread, nor can they receive solid food. And nothing strengthens the mind of the one who eats like the bread of life, of which it is written: And the bread strengthens the heart of man (Psal. CLXXXIII, 15).
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 4:17 serves as the grim culmination of a series of prophetic actions, vividly depicting the severe famine and psychological distress that would befall Jerusalem during its impending siege by the Babylonians. The verse portrays a people utterly deprived of basic sustenance, consumed by despair and physical decay, directly attributing their suffering to their persistent iniquity against God. It underscores the profound and devastating consequences of covenant unfaithfulness, demonstrating God's unwavering justice in holding His people accountable for their rebellion.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 4:17 powerfully employs Vivid Imagery to convey the horrific reality of the siege. The phrases "want bread and water," "be astonied," and "consume away" paint a stark, visceral picture of physical and psychological torment, allowing the reader to almost feel the desperation of the besieged. This imagery is designed to evoke a strong emotional response, emphasizing the severity and inevitability of the impending judgment. The verse also utilizes Cause and Effect, explicitly linking the suffering ("want bread and water," "be astonied," "consume away") to its direct cause: "for their iniquity." This clear causal relationship reinforces the theological message that their plight is not random misfortune but a just and deserved consequence of their rebellion against God. Furthermore, there is an element of Prophetic Fulfillment, as Ezekiel's earlier symbolic actions of rationing food and water become a living parable, the grim reality of which is described in this verse. The physical famine symbolizes the spiritual emptiness and desolation that results from turning away from God, the ultimate source of life and sustenance.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 4:17 stands as a stark testament to the biblical principle that sin carries severe, tangible consequences, both individually and corporately. It underscores God's unwavering justice and holiness, demonstrating that He will not tolerate persistent rebellion and idolatry among His covenant people. The famine and desolation described are not arbitrary acts of cruelty but a righteous judgment, a direct outworking of the curses outlined in the Mosaic Covenant for disobedience. This serves as a powerful reminder that true life and flourishing are found in faithful adherence to God's commands, and turning away from Him leads inevitably to a spiritual and often physical "famine." The physical suffering depicted is a mirror of the spiritual barrenness that results from rejecting the living God, highlighting that the ultimate "want" is a lack of God Himself.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 4:17, while describing a specific historical judgment, carries profound timeless lessons for all believers. It challenges us to confront the reality that persistent spiritual disobedience, much like the iniquity of ancient Judah, can lead to a profound sense of "want" and "astonishment" in our lives. When we neglect spiritual nourishment—the Word of God, prayer, fellowship, and obedience—we risk experiencing a spiritual famine, leaving us feeling empty, disoriented, and "consumed away" by anxieties, despair, or the fleeting pursuits of the world. This verse calls us to a deep self-examination: are there areas of our lives where we are living in "iniquity," knowingly or unknowingly rebelling against God's ways? It reminds us that our true sustenance comes not from earthly provisions alone, but from a vibrant, obedient relationship with God, who alone can satisfy the deepest longings of our souls. It urges us to prioritize spiritual health, to repent swiftly when we stray, and to continually seek the "bread of life" and "living water" that God freely offers, lest we find ourselves spiritually parched and consumed by the consequences of our own choices. This passage serves as a sobering warning and a powerful call to spiritual vigilance and faithful communion with our Creator.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why would God cause such severe suffering, including famine and despair, for His people?
Answer: The suffering described in Ezekiel 4:17 is presented not as arbitrary cruelty, but as a direct and just consequence of Judah's persistent and egregious "iniquity" against God. Throughout the Old Testament, God established a covenant with Israel, promising blessings for obedience and curses, including famine and siege, for disobedience (e.g., Deuteronomy 28). The people of Judah had repeatedly turned to idolatry, injustice, and rebellion, despite numerous warnings from prophets like Ezekiel. This severe judgment, therefore, highlights God's holiness, His unwavering justice, and His commitment to His covenant. It served as a painful but necessary discipline, intended to bring His people to repentance and to demonstrate to all nations the consequences of rejecting the one true God.
Was the famine described in Ezekiel 4:17 a literal event, or was it purely symbolic?
Answer: The famine described in Ezekiel 4:17 was indeed a literal and horrific event that occurred during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem (588-586 BC). Ezekiel's prophetic actions, such as rationing his food and water (as detailed in Ezekiel 4:9-16), were symbolic representations of the coming reality. However, the verse itself describes the actual, physical suffering—the "want bread and water," the "astonied" state, and the "consuming away"—that the inhabitants of Jerusalem would endure. Historical accounts and other prophetic books, such as Lamentations, confirm the extreme famine and desperation experienced in the besieged city. Thus, the prophecy was both symbolically enacted by the prophet and literally fulfilled in history, serving as a powerful testament to God's faithfulness to His warnings.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 4:17, with its stark portrayal of a people "consuming away for their iniquity," powerfully foreshadows humanity's ultimate spiritual condition apart from Christ. The physical famine and desolation experienced by Jerusalem due to their sin find their deepest resonance in the spiritual "want" and "astonishment" that plague all who remain under the curse of sin. Humanity, by its own "iniquity," is cut off from the true "bread of life" and "living water," leading to a spiritual "consuming away" that culminates in eternal separation from God, which is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). However, in Christ, this dire prophecy of judgment is transformed into a promise of abundant life. Jesus Himself declared, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). He also offered "living water" that springs up to eternal life, satisfying the deepest spiritual thirst (John 4:10-14). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ bore the full weight of our "iniquity," taking upon Himself the judgment and "consuming away" that we deserved (Isaiah 53:5-6). By His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, He became the ultimate provision, satisfying our deepest spiritual hunger and thirst, and offering us true life and peace, rescuing us from the spiritual desolation that our sin would otherwise bring. He is the fulfillment of all that the physical provisions could only hint at, providing eternal sustenance and deliverance from the ultimate "iniquity."